hepatitis C

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a virus that causes liver disease. HCV is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person. HCV is this country's most common bloodborne disease, infecting at least 2 out of every 100 people.

Hepatitis C was formerly known as "non-A, non-B hepatitis" and is currently considered to be a more serious threat to fire fighters, paramedics, and EMTs than the hepatitis B virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hepatitis C is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States.

Immunization for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B can prevent further assaults to the liver.

Visit the IAFF's Hepatitis C online resource at http://www.iaff.org/hepc for more details about the disease.

Learn More

• What is a bloodborne disease?

• What is Hepatitis A?

• What is Hepatitis B?

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/index.htm